Fiddlesticks
by katzesama
Summary: Rated T for language. Taking place four years after the final episode of 5Ds, Jack meets a street performer in the park one day who starts to turn his life upside down.
1. Chapter 1

Hey, my first fanfic! Apologies for the fact that everyone is horribly out of character and that it kinda goes all over the place. I may do a re-write after I've finished. Read and review (please)!

It had finally happened. After years of a long distance relationship, Carly had finally decided to call it quits. Jack couldn't understand WHY she would do something like that, everything had just clicked into place after he'd gotten back. They'd been so...well, he supposed "happy" was the right word for it. He just didn't understand what had happened! The past two weeks had been a tug of war between Carly _wanting _him and then turning around and telling him to get lost. Heaving a sigh, he came to a realization- he _did not _understand women.

"What's eating you, Jack?"

Yusei was watching his friend with an amused, if not bewildered, expression. Why? Because Jack's expression had gone from wistful, to upset, to confused, and now he was just sort of slumped over on the bench. Since Yusei couldn't read his friend's mind, it just looked amusing. Having just realized this, Jack stood up and his expression changed to a haughty one.

"Nothing is 'eating me.'"

Yusei raised an eyebrow before turning his attention back to the duel runner he was working on.

"Whatever you say, Jack."

Jack, as Yusei very well knew, did not like to talk about his feelings. He rarely opened up to anyone about how he felt or what he was thinking, and one of the few people Yusei knew about was Carly. Carly...who had just dumped Jack. Thinking about it from Jack's perspective, he probably felt humiliated.

At least, that's what Yusei thought. He heard his friend grumble and his footsteps as he started to pace. After about two minutes of this, Jack stopped pacing.

"I don't understand it, Yusei. I'm the King! Me!"

Now this was a rare sight: Jack Atlas, flailing about in his confusion.

"Why would she _not _want to be with me?"

"I dunno. Have you tried asking her?"

"She won't even talk to me!" Jack growled in frustration and ran a hand through his hair. "I just don't get it."

Yusei sighed and turned around to face his friend. He patted Jack on the shoulder and smiled.

"Well, sometimes these things just happen, I guess. I don't really know," he admitted. "Why don't you go out for a bit to clear your thoughts?"

Jack hated to admit it, but Yusei was probably right. He wasn't going to solve his problem by moping around the garage. Digging his hands into his pockets, he strode out of the garage and started to wander around. He just didn't get it. Women practically _threw _themselves at him, so what made Carly change her mind? He mulled it over for a few minutes and all it did was make his head hurt. He would _never _understand women.

He hadn't really been paying attention to where exactly he'd been going, and somehow he'd managed to wind up in a park. There were people milling about, children tugging along their parents and couples walking hand in hand across the brick that surrounded a large fountain in the middle as well as people lounging on the soft grass just beyond the brick walkways. There were other people too, street performers really, entertaining the passersby. Suddenly feeling exhausted, Jack slumped backwards onto a bench and let his head fall back.

That was when the fiddler started. It started as a few notes while the musician tuned the fiddle, but then it started into a lively jig. Looking up from his slump, Jack saw that the fiddler was the only performer standing next to the fountain, her body bobbing in tune to the jig she played. As time went on and she continued to play, a couple other performers, a guitarist and some dancers joined in, as well as a drummer. The fiddler didn't seem to care, only now her bobbing had turned into a dance as her fingers flew up and down the fiddle. People started to stop and watch her and the performers who'd joined her, even Jack got up from his slump to get a better look.

Soon, the area in front of the fountain was crowded beyond recognition as the fiddler and her makeshift troupe continued to play. The entire crowd was clapping in time to the jig and that never threw the fiddler off the beat. She kept playing, bobbing and dancing as she drew her bow up, down and across the fiddle. For some strange reason, Jack found he couldn't stop watching her as she played, almost as if she were weaving a sort of charm or spell that entranced the entire crowd. The fiddler (who had been playing with her eyes closed), nodded to the two other musicians, and they finished up the jig smoothly and almost in unison. The gathered crowd applauded and the fiddler took a bow, gesturing for the other musicians to follow suit. People went up in small groups and threw money into the empty violin case at the bottom of the fountain's steps, the fiddler thanking them as they did so. When the last group willing to give had left, she walked over to the guitarist and emptied the money into his case, a smile gracing her lips as she told him something Jack didn't quite catch.

Finished with her performance, she placed her fiddle back into its case and secured the latches. Of course, not everyone had been pleased with her performance. A couple of guys who were obviously looking for trouble approached her as she finished packing up. Jack moved a little bit closer, his eyes never leaving the fiddler. She didn't look up at the men standing in front of her, but she spoke.

"Show's over, lads," she told them.

Her voice was tinged with an accent, but her tone was smooth and a little bittersweet.

"You have a lot of nerve, coming here."

"Do I?" She sounded sarcastic.

"Yeah, you do you penniless bitch."

He kicked her fiddle case out of her hands which surprised her a little. The guy continued, a cocky, haughty tone filling his voice.

"I really hate people like you. People who can't be bothered to get a job and actually work. You're all a waste of life."

Apparently, that caught the woman's attention. She glared up at the men in front of her, and rose to her feet, but what happened next was not something she was expecting. Jack grabbed the man by the back of his collar and pulled hard, causing him to fall backwards onto the bricks.

"Hey!"

One of the guy's friends rushed to help him, only to get socked in the stomach, winding him. The guy who had fallen backwards stumbled back up onto his feet and managed to punch Jack in the jaw, only to get decked in the face and stumble backwards before falling back onto the ground. The other friend, who'd been watching almost horrified, started to rush at Jack. That was when he felt something trip him up and he fell face-first onto his friend. He looked over his shoulder to see the fiddler smirking at him with a look of deep satisfaction on her face. Jack grabbed the only one still standing (and still trying to catch his breath) and lifted him off of the ground.

"Now then," Jack glowered at the trembling man. "I think you owe the nice lady an apology."

The man nodded furiously.

"Well?"

The man looked over at his shoulder at the fiddler who was standing there with her arms crossed.

"S-s-sorry," he stuttered, terrified.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you," she quipped, still smirking.

He swallowed and glanced nervously at Jack who glared at him.

"Sorry we called you a...uh...a waste of life, ma'am. Please forgive us."

She raised an eyebrow before waving her hand dismissively and walking over to pick up her fiddle case.

"I'll think about it."

Jack dropped the man back on the ground and glowered down at him.

"If I _ever _catch you here again, you won't have a chance to apologize," he growled. "Now beat it!"

The group scrambled to their feet and practically ran out of the park. The fiddler watched them as they left and chuckled softly, shaking her head. She was fairly tall for a woman, maybe around 5'9" or so, with long honey gold hair she'd pulled back into a loose bun with a few strands hanging in her face and eyes. She was wearing a worn pair of blue skinny jeans, black riding boots and a white camisole that she covered with a worn brown leather jacket. A small Celtic cross hung around her neck on a silver chain and her left ear had three piercings.

She slung the fiddle case over her shoulder and turned to face Jack.

"Well, you lads here sure know how to show a girl a good time," she chuckled, smiling warmly at him. "Thank you."

She didn't wait for a reply and picked up a bag she'd left sitting by the steps, getting ready to leave.

"Hey! You can't just leave!"

"I can't?"

She looked back at Jack, a mocking look in her green eyes as she raised an eyebrow.

"Well correct me if I'm wrong, but I've already thanked you, haven't I?"

"After I took a hit for you?" he shouted. "I take a hit for you and you just walk off? Some gratitude."

The fiddler sighed and muttered something under her breath.

"Stop complaining. D'you live far from here?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because yer goin' ta have an infection in that fat lip of yers if I don't clean it out!" she snapped, her accent getting thicker. "So where d'you live?"

Jack sat on the couch in the upstairs of the apartment grumbling to himself. He'd reluctantly brought the fiddler back with him, and she stood in the kitchen wetting down a clean rag with hot water. She wrung out the rag so it was damp and sat on the coffee table in front of Jack.

"Hold still, this is goin' to hurt a little."

She held his jaw in one hand and dabbed at the small cut in his lip with the other. He winced at the slight stinging and this didn't escape her notice.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

They sat in silence for a minute or two before the fiddler cleared her throat.

"So."

Jack looked at her, half glaring.

"I'm, uh...well I'm sorry for yellin' at you back there in the park. I did get a tad rude with you, even though you did help me." She smiled a little. "You'd think my mum would have brought me up better'n that."

She withdrew her hand and examined the cut before getting off of the coffee table and placing the used rag in the sink. Jack watched her as she did, still sort of half glaring, and it made her feel a little uncomfortable. She looked over her shoulder to see Jack studying her legs. She smirked.

"Enjoyin' the view?"

"WHAT."

Jack flushed a furious red, embarrassed. She looked away and chuckled softly to herself, any nervous or uncomfortable feelings leaving her thoughts. He was, after all, just a guy. It was Jack's turn to feel uncomfortable, having been found out by the fiddler, and he coughed a little awkwardly.

"So, do you have a name?" he choked out.

"Isn't it customary to give your own name first before askin' a lady's?"

Jack opened his mouth to yell again but she looked over her shoulder, a teasing expression on her face.

"I'm just kidding. You can call me Jane."

Jane shook her hands to get the water off and wiped what was left off on her pants. She sauntered back over to the coffee table and sat down, leaning on her elbows and resting her jaw on the palms of her hands.

"And how about you?" she asked.

Jack looked at her, flabbergasted and a scowl immediately formed on his face. He leaned back and crossed his arms, looking away haughtily.

"If you don't know who I am, it's your own loss," he answered sharply.

"Really?" she asked, playful sarcasm filling her voice. "It's a shame, then, that I can't thank you properly."

She was mocking him. She was actually mocking _him_. The _King_. This girl really had a lot of nerve. Of course, Jane did know who he was. Who didn't in this day and age, know about Jack Atlas? She was just having fun teasing him to get his reaction, mostly because she'd never expected the "Master of Faster" to be a hot-headed egoist.

There was a click as the door leading down to the garage closed and Yusei entered the kitchen/ living area.

"Hey, you're back."

Yusei did a double take when he saw Jane before looking over at Jack and raising an eyebrow.

"And you brought a friend."

"I didn't bring her here, she followed me."

Yusei sighed and shook his head. Why couldn't things ever be easy when Jack was involved? Even though it had been almost four years since the Crimson Dragon had gone, trouble still seemed to follow the blond duelist around like the plague. He really didn't even want to ask about the honey blond sitting on their coffee table. Jane waved at him and smiled.

"Hullo! Sorry to barge in on you like this. This oaf here got himself into a fight and I would've felt bad if that fat lip o' his got infected." She nodded at Jack. "So I made him bring me back."

Yusei nodded numbly, trying to process her story before looking at Jack again. Jack pointed accusingly at Jane.

"She started it!"

"As I recall, you were the one who threw the first punch and almost knocked that wanker out cold."

Jane got up from the coffee table and sauntered around to the kitchen counter where her belongings were sitting in a messy heap.

"Well, I won't impose on you lads any longer, so I'll be on my way."

She waved at Yusei before whisking out the door, bag and fiddle slung over her shoulder. Jack gave a 'hmph!' before crossing his arms and grumbling about something under his breath. Just once, Yusei would like to go one day without someone showing up or something happening. But he lived with Jack, so that was sort of out of the question.

It had been three days since Jack had met Jane, and, much to his annoyance, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Well, her legs at least, even though he hadn't seen hide nor hair of the fiddler for the past few days. He didn't even understand why. She was cheeky and pushy and _annoying_! She rubbed him the wrong way and still all he could do was think about her. The only upside to this was that it made him forget how annoyed he was that he let Carly dump him (he heard she was getting ready to leave for America with some photographer. That REALLY pissed him off). He sighed and swished the alcohol in his glass around once or twice. His head was starting to hurt again.

The laughing and the chanting coming from across the bar didn't help, either. He glanced over his shoulder, expecting to see a bunch of college students binge drinking. Instead, there was Jane, downing a shot of what looked like whiskey with at least ten empty shot glasses in front of her. There was a guy sitting across from her, obviously ready to pass out, with the same number of shot glasses in front of him. Jane set down the empty shot glass in her hand triumphantly, but Jack could tell she was fairly drunk even from across the bar. He rolled his eyes and looked back at his glass. It wasn't any business of his what that idiot street performer did in her spare time.

He heard a loud _thump_ from the same area and a large amount of laughter. Looking again, he saw the guy had fallen out of his chair and onto the floor and Jane with a smug look on her face...right before she fell on the floor, too. Sighing, and knowing he was going to regret this later, Jack got up and walked across the bar. Jane had rolled over on her back and was laughing as if she'd heard the best joke imaginable. Jack knelt down next to the drunken woman and lifted her up back onto her feet.

"Hey, Jackie!"

She latched onto his arm with an almost insane grin. Jack looked down at her, a little startled. _This_ was the woman he'd been thinking about for the past three days? Wondering for second time about what he'd gotten himself into, Jack reached around the fiddler and slung her fiddle and bag over his free shoulder. Her grin faded into confusion and she looked up at him.

"Are we leaving?"

"Yes," he answered curtly.

Jane let go of his arm and promptly fell back onto the floor before she started laughing again. He glared down at her, but she apparently didn't seem to care.

"Jane," he said sternly. "It's time to go."

"Oh, don't be such a wanker! We're all having so much fun!"

Something just snapped. Jack grabbed Jane sharply by her arm and pulled her to her feet, dragging her out of the bar. She protested weakly, mumbling something about "picking up her tab." Jack paid it no mind and didn't stop until they were out on the sidewalk.

"Where do you live?" he demanded.

"Live?"

Apparently, Jane thought this was very, very funny and started laughing again. She shook her head back and forth.

"I don't _live _anywhere!" she said finally, when her laughing fit was over.

Jack scowled and grabbed her by her shoulders, convinced she just couldn't really remember because of the alcohol.

"I. Do not. Have time. For this," he growled, sobering her attitude up. "Where do you live?"

Somehow, though she was terrified, the grin made another appearance.

"Anywhere and everywhere!" she shouted, throwing her arms up banzai style.

Jack stared at her blankly, finding it hard to stay angry at the drunk woman when it was highly possible that she actually didn't have a place to stay. Heaving an exhausted sigh, he let go of her shoulders and did a facepalm. She really _did _annoy him. The drunken blond looked at him curiously.

"Hey, Jackie."

She poked him in the shoulder, and he looked at her, annoyed and raising an eyebrow in question.

"What's so interestin' about your hand?" she asked innocently.

Jack grabbed her by the arm again and started back to the garage with her in tow. This was the second time he was bringing her home, and he was pretty sure he didn't even like her. There was something wrong with this picture. Luckily, the bar they'd been at wasn't too far from the garage, so she wasn't able to make too much of a spectacle out of herself, though this was one of the most embarrassing things Jack Atlas had done. Ever.

Pushing open the door to the upstairs living area with Jane clinging to his arm again, he placed her belongings on the floor next to the door before dragging her over to the couch and setting her down. She looked at him drowsily, her happy drunk time being over, and she parted her jaws in a yawn.

And then she sort of, well... Jack didn't really know what to think. She kinda flopped over on the couch. He propped her back up and she groaned in protest. Jack helped her out of her jacket and her boots before she flopped over a second time. He lifted her legs onto the couch and covered her with a blanket. How was he going to explain this?

"Jack?"

Jane was looking at him with drowsy eyes, her face still flushed from the alcohol. She gave him a watery smile before closing her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered before drifting off to sleep.

He watched her sleep for a few moments, her face devoid of all mockery and her smug attitude. She almost looked like a girl, but only almost. He sighed for the fourth time that evening and shook his head before heading upstairs to his room.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack's morning started with a banging on his door. Looking over at the clock, he noted that it was just past eight in the morning and was far too early for him to be woken up, so he ignored it. Two seconds later, Crow burst into his room.

"JACK!" he shouted.

So far, this was a very unpleasant morning. Jack lifted his head from the pillow and looked over his shoulder at the orange haired delinquent.

"What?" he asked, voice dripping with annoyance.

"What do you mean 'what?'" seethed Crow. "You know what 'what' I'm talking about!"

Jack rolled his eyes and put his head back down on the pillow. He knew what Crow was talking about- the 5'9" blond musician passed out on their couch. He just didn't feel like dealing with it right now.

"Buzz off," he grumbled into the pillow.

"Jack."

Yusei was standing there now and he was using his stern "mommy" voice. Reluctantly, Jack pushed himself into a sitting position and yawned. Yusei even had his "mommy" expression on. Great. Jack grumbled under his breath as he heaved himself out of bed and followed the two downstairs. Crow pointed at Jane, still passed out on the couch.

"What is that?"

Jack smirked.

"Don't you know what a girl looks like, Crow?" he quipped smugly.

Crow scowled up at the blond duelist.

"WHY is there a girl on our couch?"

Jack yawned, bored, and walked from the bottom of the steps over to where Jane was sleeping. He gave her a violent shake which resulted in an annoyed groan from the hungover fiddler.

"Jane, care to tell my friends why you're on our couch?"

"Bloody... fucking... LOUD!" she groaned before picking up one of her boots and smacking Jack with it.

She grumbled before rolling over onto her back and covering her eyes. She groaned again and muttered something about "never touching a drop of whiskey again." Jack rubbed his arm where she'd hit him with her boot and looked over his shoulder at Yusei and Crow, who had furrowed his brow.

"You brought home a _drunk_?" he shouted.

Jane picked up her other boot and threw it in Crow's direction. Fortunately, it missed him completely and smacked into the wall next to the stairs almost harmlessly. Crow stared at the boot for a second, startled, and Jack's smirk turned into a grin.

"A drunk with a good arm, yeah," he chuckled. "Besides, she had nowhere to go."

Yusei looked around Jack at the semi-conscious Jane on the couch.

"Isn't she the one who you brought over last time?"

"I didn't 'bring' her over," snapped Jack, "She followed me."

Jack felt something bump into his chest and he looked down to see that Jane had gotten up off of the couch and was leaning into his chest, half-awake.

"Bag," she mumbled.

Jack assumed she meant the bag she'd been dragging around in addition to her fiddle. He turned her around.

"It's next to the door."

She ambled over, half staggering, and lifted the army green backpack up off of the floor. She then turned around, still slouched over.

"Bathroom."

"Upstairs."

She nodded slowly and meandered over to the stairs before ascending them quietly without another word. Crow watched her with a dumbstruck expression on his face and nobody spoke until they heard the bathroom door close. Crow glared at Jack.

"What the hell, Jack?"

Jack shrugged and sat down on the now vacant couch before turning on the TV. Crow grumbled under his breath before heading over to the fridge where he proceeded to look for something edible. Yusei wandered over behind the couch and leaned on the back.

"So, nowhere to go, eh?"

Jack glared up at his friend who had a smirk on his face.

"It wasn't like that," he answered, peeved.

"Really, Jack? You don't usually just bring girls home because they have nowhere to go. It isn't like you."

"There is no way that _that_," he hissed through his teeth, "Could be a girl."

Honestly, that was what Jack thought. Jane didn't seem to act like a girl or dress like a girl. Hell, she didn't even _drink _like a girl! It was as if she was gender confused.

That was when they heard the sound coming from upstairs. It sounded like mumbling at first, but it gradually was made out to be singing. Jane was singing. They heard the bathroom door open and close and Jane walked down the stairs with her bag slung over her shoulder and her long honey blond hair soaked and hanging down her back. She had changed her shirt to a black, v-neck t-shirt with "I 3 Paris" printed in white letters with a red heart. It fit her figure just right and Jack found himself staring at her again, before looking down to stare at her legs. Crow sat down on the couch next to Jack, having given up his search for food.

"Wasn't like that, huh?" he asked quietly, smirking.

Jack glared at Crow with a scowl on his face.

"Shut up."

Jane had started humming when she dropped her bag on the floor and dug through the fridge, pulling out eggs, a carton of milk, and a pack of bacon. She dug around in the other cabinets pulling out two frying pans, a bowl and a fork. She set both pans on the stove, and cracked eggs into the bowl before adding milk and beating the mixture with a fork. She threw a couple slices of bacon into one of the pans and her humming turned into singing when she poured the eggs into the other pan to cook.

_He sent his servant unto her_

_To the place where she was dwelling_

_Saying "You must come to his bedside now,_

_If your name be Barbara Allen."_

_So slowly slowly she got up_

_And slowly she drew nigh him_

_And the only words to him she said,_

"_Young man I think you're dying."_

_As she walked slowly o'er the fields_

_She heard the death bell knelling_

_And with every stroke, it seemed to say_

"_Hardhearted Barbara Allen."_

She placed three plates loaded with eggs and bacon on the table, never missing a beat. Her voice was a smooth alto, neither too loud or too soft, and pleasant to listen to. She went back to humming as she made up a fourth plate for herself before turning around and seeing Crow and Jack watching her, jaws hanging. She stopped humming and raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Crow coughed awkwardly, and turned around to face the TV, blushing furiously. Yusei looked over his shoulder at Jane and nodded at the plates of food.

"Is that for us?"

"I should bloody well hope so!" she answered before bringing a hand to her forehead in pain. "Ouch, too loud," she muttered.

Jane swaggered over and plopped down on the couch between Jack and Crow before tucking her legs underneath her body and shoving a forkful of eggs into her mouth. Crow hastily got up and briskly walked over to where she'd left the food, too embarrassed to sit next to her on the couch. Jane rolled her eyes at such a childish action. It would be so much easier if they could just admit that, yes, they had been staring at her ass. Not like they needed to, anyway.

"Hey, this is really good!"

Jane smiled with self satisfaction at Crow's exclamation; then she realized how loud it was. Ow. Yusei had also bothered to grab a plate and was picking at his food.

"You don't really eat much, do you?" she asked, a small smile forming on her lips before turning back around to face the TV. "Eat what you want, my brother Charles doesn't eat much, either."

"So where are you from?" asked Crow, still unbearably loud.

"London."

"You're an awfully long way from home," said Yusei, who had abandoned his effort to eat breakfast and joined her and Jack on the couch. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

Jane was quiet for a moment, which surprised Jack. Usually, there was a cheeky comeback or a smart remark. Instead she gave a wistful, nostalgic smile.

"Well... let's just say I can't go home right now and leave it at that."

She lifted herself up off of the couch and placed her empty plate in the sink. She picked up her boots and the case for her fiddle.

"Thank you for letting me stay the night, but I should be going."

_I've actually got to earn enough so I can afford a room tonight_, she thought to herself quietly as she reached for her bag. Jack snatched her bag away as she reached for it, having gotten up off of the couch (originally, he was going to get some food, then he noticed her gathering her stuff). Jane smirked.

"You must really enjoy looking at my ass if you want me to stay _that _badly."

"I never-"

Jane made a grab for the bag, only for Jack to hold it up higher out of her reach. She was tall, but still not as tall as Jack. Yusei looked over at her from the couch.

"Listen, you're more than welcome to stay until you're ready to go home. We don't mind the company. Right, Jack?"

Jack crossed his arms and scowled while Crow gave Yusei a thumbs up and Jane felt herself turn slightly pink. She hadn't been treated this kindly for a very long time. Snatching her bag from the off-guard Jack, she gently placed it on the floor next to the couch.

"It'd be rude of me to say no. Thank you," she admitted before giving a little sigh. "Nonetheless, I have to go and make money anyways."

She pulled on her boots and slung her fiddle over her shoulder, making her way back towards the door with that odd little swagger she walked with before leaving. Jack was still standing there with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Crow looked up from Yusei's plate (he'd already finished his).

"I like her," he pronounced after swallowing a mouthful of bacon. "She's alright."

"She's a pain in the arse, that's what she is," grumbled Jack.

"_You_ brought her home."

Jack glared at Yusei who turned off the TV and pulled on his gloves.

"Well, I'm gonna get back to work on your runner, considering that I have to be back at the lab tomorrow."

He walked back down to the garage and shut the door behind him, leaving Crow and Jack alone upstairs. Crow got up from the table.

"I guess I should get going too. I promised Martha I'd give her a hand with the kids today. See you later buddy."

Jack sighed and headed down to the garage to join Yusei. It was his runner they'd been working on, so it followed he could at least just hang around until Yusei was done. Yusei was sitting at his computer, checking the calibrations for Jack's runner. He didn't say anything when Jack walked in and neither did Jack, who proceeded to pace back and forth. Yusei had seen this before: just before Jack had brought Jane home the first time.

"I don't understand it, Yusei."

Yep. There it was. Yusei didn't look up from his computer as he responded.

"Don't understand what?"

"Her!" shouted Jack as he continued to pace. "She rubs me the wrong way and _she enjoys it_. I have _never _been treated with such disrespect!"

So this time it was about Jane. Why wasn't Yusei surprised, even though Jack hadn't even known her a week. Yusei sighed.

"I think you're blowing it a little out of proportion, Jack."

"I AM NOT BLOWING THIS OUT OF PROPORTION!"

Jack continued to pace, a frustrated sneer on his face. Violin music, in contrast to her jig, floated through the air from outside where Jane was playing on a street corner about a block or two away. Jack scoffed.

"What's so great about her anyway?" he asked rhetorically. "She's cheeky, pushy, not to mention she doesn't even _live _anywhere..."

"I dunno, Jack. She plays beautiful music, she can cook and she seems pretty laid back."

Yusei didn't even want to point out that she looked like a supermodel and she had the kind of voice that would make men drool. That would just put Jack in a worse mood than he already was. His comments did warrant him a glare from Jack, who growled and continued to pace. Honestly, Yusei was starting to think that Jane pissed Jack off for two other reasons. One- she was the first woman Yusei had seen who didn't throw herself at Jack. Two- Jack actually liked her but didn't understand it yet. And she pushed his buttons. Maybe there were three reasons...

"Jack, you're making a big deal out of nothing. She'll only be here for a little bit and then she'll be gone. So why do you care?"

Jack stopped pacing and looked at his friend. Jack didn't know why he cared. He didn't want to, but he did. Heaving a sigh, Jack sat down on the couch they had in the garage and stared up at the ceiling.

Jane, on the other hand, stood on the street corner and was finishing up "Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears" when her mind began to wander. She really did need to thank the lads properly for letting her stay, and she had to think of how to do that. Under normal circumstances, she would've just bought them dinner or something. But she wasn't going to cave and use her credit cards. She couldn't. Not until she was ready to go home.

What was home, anyways? She started to ponder this as she started "The Ashoken Farewell" before giving up the thought entirely. She knew mother said that "home is where the heart is," but where is that exactly? It was making her head throb worse than her hangover.

At least it wasn't all bad. It was sort of like being back at the family home in London, being surrounded by all those boys, only she wasn't related to them and her brothers weren't nearly as fun to tease as Jack was. He was a weird one with that cocky demeanor and those amethyst eyes-

Jane instantly pushed the thought from her head. As attractive as he was... well, she didn't have an excuse for that. It wasn't as if she was in love with him. Attracted, yes. In love, no. There was no harm in thinking he was attractive and she left it at that.

X X X

Three days. That's how long she'd been staying with them. Three. Whole. Days. Jack was ready to snap. Three days of mockery and disrespect could really get to a man, especially if it came from someone like Jane.

Yusei and Crow, however, didn't seem to mind. In fact, they sort of enjoyed having her around, and this bothered Jack to the point of being slightly grumpier than usual. Yusei had pointed it out to him that morning.

"Still upset?" he'd asked.

Jane had left early that morning, leaving a note apologizing about breakfast, and Yusei was shrugging on his lab coat. It seemed to Jack that whenever Yusei _wasn't_ fixing something, he was working. Jane had actually called him on this and said that Yusei (or "Sparky," as she liked to call him) and her brother Charles would "get along splendidly."

"This isn't like you, Jack," he'd said.

Jack had glared at Yusei.

"Mind your own business," he'd grumbled.

"Is this about Carly?"

Jack hadn't answered, so Yusei had just assumed that that was his problem.

"Jack, you have to keep moving forward. You have to find your next step and take it."

"I don't need you to patronize me."

Yusei had raised an eyebrow, but decided not to question his friend before leaving, almost being late. Jack had just sat in their kitchen, brooding. Again, he was too ticked off at Jane to even think about Carly, but after Yusei had brought it up, it just pissed him off even more. His ego had been popped, stepped on and thrown in the street, and it did _not _make him happy.

And that was how he wound up at the track, practicing. It allowed him to release some of the pent up stress and frustration from the past few days, having to deal with the girl that he could barely even _consider_ a girl. She was some sort of demon or imp who existed for the sole purpose of pushing his buttons. Almost as if thinking about her had summoned her, Jack noticed Jane lounging in the stands, one leg dangling off of the end of one of the seats. He stopped short and shouted up at her.

"Hey!"

She looked over as if she was slightly bored before lifting herself out of the chair and coming down to lean on the edge of the arena. She was wearing a white _Nike_ t-shirt and she'd left her hair down instead of her usual loose bun. She waved at Jack.

"Are you stalking me?" she called out.

"Why would _anyone _want to stalk _you_?" he shouted back.

She shrugged before vaulting over the railing and landing neatly on the track. She approached the duel runner and a smug little smirk appeared on her face.

"Well, Hotshot," she said, obviously teasing him again, "It's good to know you aren't entirely useless."

She was just saying that to get on his nerves, he knew it. All she ever did when she talked to him was tease him, even this new "Hotshot" thing she'd started doing was a way for her to bother him. In truth, it was Jane's way of showing how much she liked people. She was still trying to come up with a good name for Crow.

Jack's scowl deepened and he opened his mouth to yell at Jane when something else caught his eye over Jane's shoulder. Jane looked at him, her smug expression changing to confusion.

"Jack?"

Standing behind Jane, talking eagerly to another duelist getting ready to practice, was Carly. Ignoring Jane, Jack got off of his runner and called out to Carly, who flinched at the sound of his voice before turning to look over her shoulder. Jane looked over her shoulder, too. Carly coughed awkwardly, having been surprised.

"H-hey Jack," she stammered, chuckling nervously as she regained her composure. "Long time no see."

Jack nodded and an awkward silence ensued. Jane, feeling a little left out and bothered by the silence pivoted on her heel and held her hand out to Carly who hesitantly took the fiddler's hand.

"How d'you do?" said Jane, smiling warmly. "Name's Jane."

"C-Carly."

Jane's smile started to melt away the reporter's apprehension and the duelist she'd been interviewing started to stare. Carly found herself smiling back.

"So, um...are you here together with Jack?" she asked.

Jack's jaw dropped and Jane shook her head.

"No, I'm not. In fact, I'm fairly convinced _he's_ stalking _me_."

Jane started to laugh. Jack had never heard her laugh before, and he found he actually liked it. Listening to the Englishwoman laugh was like listening to her sing. Someone called out to Carly from the stands and she flushed a pale pink, having been startled.

"I'm sorry," she said hastily, tripping over her words. "I have to go."

"That's too bad. Maybe we can get together some time?"

"Oh. Well, I can't," Carly admitted sheepishly, as if she felt she was disappointing the fiddler. "I'm leaving for a job overseas on Friday, so..."

Jane nodded.

"No worries. I'd be more than happy to meet up when you get back."

"I'd... I'd like that, too."

Carly said a hurried good-bye and ran off to go join her colleague, leaving Jane and Jack standing on the track. Jane looked up at Jack and was almost surprised by the lonely and wistful expression on his face. She smiled gently at him, but didn't say a word.

After that, Jane started coming by the track everyday to watch Jack practice. She admitted she didn't really understand the point of what he did and he got a bit upset after she'd said that.

"Well I don't understand why you play _that_," he'd said, pointing at the fiddle.

Jane had smiled at that.

"Touché, my good sir."

Slowly, their exchanges became a little more friendly, though she still got a huge kick out of pushing his buttons and teasing him, but Jack started to notice it was just something she did naturally with people she liked. She'd even started teasing Yusei about his relationship with Akiza, which was purely friendly, but it made him squirm. The "Sparky" thing bugged him, too.

Jack had just finished training and Jane was down on the track, talking to him like she usually did. She was wearing a gray t-shirt and had swapped her worn jeans for a pair of paler, newer jeans. She'd caught Jack staring at her and smirked.

"I thought you said there was no way I could be a girl."

"I...I never said you weren't a girl," he replied awkwardly, "Just that you didn't act like one."

"Well, when you have as many brothers as I do, their behavior sort of rubs off on you."

Jack had actually asked about her brothers once, and all Jane said was that "they're hard to describe." She had told him she had six- Charles, James, Patrick, Anthony, George and Tobias- but never anymore than that. Jane watched Jack quietly and assumed something completely different from his silence. She sort of drooped a little before chuckling half to herself at her own stupidity of actually caring about this egocentric young man. Jack heard her chuckle.

"What is it?"

"You've really got it bad for her, haven't you?"

Jack looked at Jane, startled by her observation. She noted his slight confusion.

"Carly," she said, "She's a sweetheart. I can see why you're in love with her."

"I was," he admitted under his breath.

Somehow, Jane heard him. Her expression turned into one of pity and she patted him on the shoulder. Neither one said anything for a moment, though Jack noticed Jane's expression of pity. It ticked him off.

"I don't need your pity," he snapped, shaking her hand off of his shoulder.

Jane raised an eyebrow.

"Ev'ryone needs a bit of pity now and then, Hotshot. Even you."

Jack didn't answer her. Jane smiled knowingly and placed her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth on her heels.

"Y'know," she said, almost wistful, "When my first love left me, my mother told me something. She said that you never stop loving a person. You may not be in love anymore, but they'll always be special, that part of you will always love them."

Jack glared at her.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Jane stopped rocking on her heels and shrugged.

"I don't know," she answered simply. "I guess it all depends."

She smiled up at him. A warm, gentle smile that tugged a little on Jack's heartstrings. Maybe Yusei was right, but maybe Jane was his next step.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, just fair warning, it gets a tad bit steamy in this chapter. Don't say I didn't warn you. Enjoy the last installment and please read and review so that I may improve in the future.

Crow had practically eaten three baked potatoes: his, Yusei's and Jane's. Jane had no idea where he stored all of it, just that he ate more than a starving college student at an all you can eat buffet. She was so engrossed in washing the plates that she didn't hear Jack come down, and it startled her, causing her to drop a knife on the floor.

"Bloody hell, Jack," she half laughed, out of breath. "You startled me."

Jack walked over and picked up the knife she'd dropped on the floor before handing it back. Jane washed it a second time before drying it off, not even bothering to look at Jack. He wasn't dressed like he usually was; this wasn't the first time she'd seen him without the jacket, but he made her...well, she figured that "nervous" would be the appropriate term. She'd known he was well built, but she hadn't imagined that his arms would be as muscular as they were, and that really made her...she'd never been nervous before, and this was starting to make her head hurt worse than that hangover.

She dried off her hands and turned around so that she could walk over to the couch, only to find Jack in her way. He looked thoughtful (which was a first) and Jane swallowed.

"Jack?" she asked, tentatively, "Is ev'rythin' okay?"

"Yes," he answered, looking at her intently. "Everything's fine."

"Oh. Good."

Jane tried to duck around Jack but he grabbed her by the wrist and held it, almost as if he was unsure of something. Jane was honest to God puzzled. Jack took a step closer to her, pinning her against the kitchen counter and he gently stroked the side of her face with his free hand. Jane hadn't realized how large his hands were...how warm they were, and how good they felt. It almost made her weak at the knee.

"Jane," Jack whispered her name so that it was only audible for the two of them, "Would you...think it was crazy if I kissed you?"

Jane didn't know how to answer that. She'd only known him for what, a week? Of course it would be crazy, but she didn't feel like it was crazy. Jack assumed that her silence was her answer and he leaned down ever so slightly until their lips met. At first, it was gentle as they tried to sort of figure out how it was going to work; Jack gently lifted Jane up so that she was sitting on the counter to help with the height difference a little bit, and Jane complied. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist, both finally comfortable. That was when it started to progress beyond gentle, gradually getting firmer and deeper as they settled into a rhythm that felt natural. Jane dug her fingers into Jack's hair as he pushed harder against her, while Jack started to go from just kissing her lips.

She moaned slightly as she felt Jack's mouth move down to the base of her neck, almost as if he was caressing her with his lips. She jumped a little as she felt one of his hands leave her waist and start up her back and she let out a sort of mixture between a yelp and another moan. This seemed to go on forever, though something didn't feel quite right for Jane, even though she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Biting her lip, she pushed Jack away as hard as she could. The blond duelist looked at her, a little confused.

"What?" he asked, _definitely_ confused. "You didn't like it?"

"No!" she exclaimed, shaking her head furiously. "No, it's... it's not that."

"You didn't like it."

He sort of drooped a little, making the sort of expression you'd expect a puppy to make after it's been kicked. Jane almost wanted to chuckle, seeing the usually boisterous and confident man get so upset, but she inhaled deeply and shook her head again.

"I already told you, it isn't that." She smiled gently. "I did like it, but..."

"But...?"

Jack leaned in close again, ego restored, waiting for an answer. Desperately trying to stifle the urge to just attack him right there, Jane swallowed hard and closed her eyes for a minute before she felt she had things under control enough to look Jack in the eye.

"Is this what you want?"

Jack looked taken aback for a moment, caught off guard by Jane's question.

"What-"

"Is this really what you want?" she asked again.

Jack was speechless. Jane noted the instant mix of shock and confusion that appeared on his face and sighed, looking down at the floor.

"You really don't know, do you?"

She pushed him away just enough so that she could get down from the counter. Walking briskly past him, she started folding up her clothes and placing them back in her bag with her possessions not far behind.

"Jane-"

"Jack. You've just been through a break up, I understand that." Jane didn't look back at him. "I really do, but I refuse to be a rebound."

Jane zipped up the bag with one quick, harsh movement, frustration becoming apparent in her actions. The Englishwoman stood and turned to face him, green eyes filled with the turbidity of her emotions.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," she stated simply, fighting to keep her voice from cracking.

Jack almost felt his jaw drop. He gripped Jane by the shoulders, his expression almost one of disbelief, filled to the brink with pleading and begging.

"Jane, don't. Stay."

"I can't. Not when you don't even know what you want."

She pulled away and out of his grip before lying down on the couch and turning her back to him, covering herself with the blanket. Understanding that nothing else was going to happen tonight, Jack quietly stomped up the stairs and slammed his fist on the wall at the top, frustrated. What _did _he want?

X X X

Good as her word, Jane was gone the next morning. Jack didn't say anything to Yusei or Crow about what had happened, though Crow was a bit peeved Jane wasn't there to cook anymore. Instead, he tried to vent his frustration through duels, avoiding the subject that was the fiddler Jane.

Her question never ceased to haunt him, though. Since Carly left him, Jack hadn't been sure of what he wanted. He knew he wanted to continue to be the best, sure, but personally... he wasn't as certain anymore. Of course, thinking about this made his head hurt, and what good did it do? Jane had been gone for a little over a month. Scowling, he downed another shot. He was going to get drunk enough to forget the Englishwoman if it was the last thing he did.

"Well, I certainly hope you aren't doing this because of me."

Jack looked up, startled by the familiar accent and smooth tone. Sure enough, there was Jane. She nodded at the bottle of scotch-whiskey sitting on the bar.

"At least, I hope you aren't." She chuckled. "Not with _that_ cheap imitation."

"What do you want?" Jack grumbled, looking back at the bar.

"Still ever the charmer, I see."

Jane sat down next to Jack at the bar and leaned on the counter a little so she could see his face. He tried to avoid looking at her, but he couldn't resist a quick glance at her. Her long, honey gold hair was down, swishing with her every move and tumbling in thick curls. She was wearing a simple strapless white floral sundress and a pair of cranberry red flats, a complete turn around from the worn skinny jeans and t-shirts he'd been used to seeing. Jane noticed his glance and smiled.

"So how have you been, Hotshot?"

"Like you care," he scoffed, downing yet another shot.

"Maybe I do."

Jack looked at Jane who was watching him intently, green eyes filled with that confident and determined look that suited her so well.

"But, before I can continue, I have to ask." She cleared her throat. "Tell me, Jack Atlas, do you know what you want?"

The silence that followed Jane's haunting question was so thick, it could've been cut with a knife. Jack set down the shot glass in his hand.

"What I want..." he said quietly, tone wavering with anger. "You do a whole lot of talking about what I want, and nothing about what you want. It makes me sick."

Jane looked at Jack, a little startled, but he pushed on.

"That night... I wanted to be with you so badly, and I didn't even know if it was what you wanted. It drives me crazy knowing that I might have pushed you away!"

Jack clenched his fists, anger and frustration rising in his chest.

"You know what I want?" he roared, slamming a fist on the bar counter, almost breaking a shot glass. "I want you _to tell me what you want_!"

There was another silence; Jane's worry melted into a smile and she stood before gently taking Jack's hand.

"If that's really what you want, I'm happy to oblige."

X X X

Jane and Jack walked quietly through the park side by side. There weren't many people out around this time of day, so the park was almost deserted. Jane stopped by the fountain in the center and sat down on the edge.

"This is where we met," she said softly. "Remember?"

Jack gave a curt nod.

"I remember."

They waited in silence for a moment before Jane started again.

"So."

She crossed her hands on her lap and pressed her legs together, bouncing her feet up and down on the brick.

"The great Jack Atlas wants to know what I want?"

Jack didn't answer her. He did have an answer, he was just too embarrassed to admit that it was really all he'd thought about for the past month. Jane smiled again, softly and warmly before looking down at the water in the fountain.

"First off, my name isn't really Jane. It's Jeanette."

"You-"

"Don't get your knickers in a knot. I didn't completely lie to you."

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Jeanette- Jean or Jane for short. I'm a musician by trade, playing the fiddle and the violin. I'm actually world renowned for my performances, but I'm retired, playing music for the sheer joy of music, not to gain fame or wealth by it." She paused for a second as she struggled with the memory. "There isn't any joy in what you do if you don't love what you're doing. That's why I left home."

The Englishwoman looked up at Jack, who was staring at her with complete and utter disbelief on his face. She giggled, amused.

"What's so funny?" he demanded.

"You seem so surprised by ev'rythin' I'm telling you. Anyways," she took a deep breath before continuing, "I wasn't expecting to meet someone like you here. I was hoping to disappear into the crowd and fade into non-existence. But... well, after I met you, I felt something I haven't felt for a long time."

She stood up and walked down the fountain steps, looking up at the night sky.

"You want to know what I want, Jack?" She swallowed, nervous before turning to look back at him. "I want to be here. I want to be with you."

When Jack still didn't say anything, Jane continued.

"When I left one month ago, I went back to England to get everything sorted out. I had to transfer all my savings and find a place to live before I could come back."

She smiled again.

"That," she said, voice dropping to a whisper, "Is what I want."

Jack could almost swear his heart skipped a beat as they stood in the empty park, which was completely out of character for him. Later, Jane would actually admit that her heart did the exact same thing as she waited for him to say something, but that doesn't mean Jack ever admitted it, even though it was obvious. So, instead of answering her, Jack closed the gap between them in two strides and pulled her into a kiss. They didn't know how long they stood there with Jack's arms embracing Jane and her arms wrapped around his neck, almost melding into each other. When they finally did break apart, Jack nodded at Jane's skirt, her legs finally exposed and not covered by jeans.

"It's a nice change to see those legs."

He slid one arm down Jane's back and rested it on the back of her thigh. Jane gave him a sly smile and gently dug one of her hands into the back of his hair, mischief glinting in her eyes playfully.

"Well, they're not all that I have to show you."

END!


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